Provenance and the Unique Book

A foray into the question of a book's identity which, it turns out, is usually fuzzy early-on but often richly specific with age. A used book is more likely to be known

The advantage of the first edition is priority in time. Time zero is the initial physical expression of the author's idea, sentiment, and form. It is the first hint of his intention. The true first is the original manuscript in the author's own hand. If we find and verify this document we have an additional bonus: A physical book with a unique tagged identity.

The mechanical and now electronic manufacturing process means that published books look alike and are, because of this, anonymous. Even if the edition and printing are recorded we know that each has many copies. All new books are, in this way, alike.

Over time there is a tendency for mass produced articles to differentiate.

The owners, the possessors, in their everyday use leave marks and make adjustments and repairs. Where there was minted sameness, there is now character. The fuzzy mass is replaced by the unique individual.

The user gets to know his book.

Provenance, the place of origin or the source, is a way of establishing a book's identity. The question: Who were the prior users and owners? Marks are left. A bookplate, a signature and address, a note on the endpaper presenting the book as a gift. The inserts: The cards and letters, the bills and invoices. Of special interest to me are the tiny labels discretely pasted to endpapers by bookdealers. All suggesting provenance if not establishing it.

Overbearing sometimes, the underlining and highlighting, the marginal notes which add nothing to the meaning of the text. Identity has a dark side, unless there is an association to someone famous or notorious or culturally significant. High status tends to mean higher market value.

Ordinary people sharing real knowledge, sentiment and experience can increase the value of a book by their notes and comments. For example, a travel book carefully annotated by a cultivated tourist following the itinerary can be doubly useful to those who read after.

My recommendation to those, who like Kilroy, are intent on leaving their marks: Be considerate of future users. Remember that they are the ones who will credit you. Work neatly and sparingly. Take the endpapers for your in-book recordings, but, unless you are famous and egocentric, keep the text pages clean. For notes and comments and chatchkis use acid-free blank paper which you can interleave at the appropriate places. The later reader will have the advantage of a clear text to compare with your add-ons.

As a bookdealer I am more and more committed to describing, in my listings, provenance and identity. For a popular title with hundreds of duplicates my copy, if I can find the marks, will stand out as a pearl among the pebbles.

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Alvin Katz copyright 2000